Roasted Tomato Pesto

Pesto Rosso

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Most people are familiar with the classic Pesto alla Genovese made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese. Pesto Rosso (“Red Pesto”), is a variation that starts with sun-dried tomatoes which creates a rich red color with a deep, sweet, tangy flavor. Both versions of pesto are very simple sauces that require no cooking and have few ingredients, so make sure you are using high-quality ingredients.

My version of Pesto Rosso starts with roasted tomatoes and red bell pepper. If you’re been following my blog, you might remember those bushels of Roma tomatoes that I roasted and stored for the winter? Well, this cold, snowy, icy weather has me dreaming of those warm summer days, so it seemed like the perfect time to bring back some summer flavors by using those roasted tomatoes as a reminder that Spring is right around the corner.

This recipe could be made with an equal amount of sundried tomato packed in oil. There is so much flavor in the oil that the sundried tomatoes are stored in, add it to the recipe then reduce the amount of olive oil that you add. If you’re not a fan of bell peppers, leave it out, but add in more tomatoes to keep the recipe balanced. Also, I love walnuts and always have them in the freezer (yes, store your nuts in the freezer), but you could easily substitute your favorite nut or any nut you have on hand. Almonds would be delicious in this recipe.

Some say using a blender rather than a food processor to purée the ingredients results in a smoother sauce. I’ve even seen older recipes that use a mortar and pestle. Thank goodness for electricity, I would not make pesto as often if my only option was the mortar and pestle. The food processor has always been my preference and is how I wrote this recipe. If I'm using the pesto specifically for pasta, I plan on having lots of extra Parmesan to top the pasta, so I will use the clean bowl and blade first to grind the Parmesan cheese. Then measure it out and add in the other ingredients to make the pesto. I have always had great results with the food processor, but if you use a blender, or a mortar and pestle instead, please let me know! I'd love to hear about your experience.

While we love this as a creamy pasta sauce, we also substitute this pesto for things like mayonnaise and ranch dressing. It’s also delicious drizzled on breakfast sandwiches or used on pizza or bruschetta. I also freeze this recipe in ice cube trays, so that I have small portions to use in recipes. To add a little boost of flavor, try adding one or two frozen cubes of pesto into soup or let them defrost and use as a topping on grilled chicken or fish. Just like the traditional basil pesto, this recipe makes pretty much everything taste better!

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